Circuit-controller.



A. SIMON.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPUCAHON mu) 0m. 30. 1914.

Patented Nov. 6 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. SIMON.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

LED OCT-30.19l4

APPLI 1,245,627. Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR SIMON, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER-HAMMER CO., OF MILWAUKEE, VJ'ISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

Application filed October 30, 1914.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be known that I, Ania-run SIMON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Controllers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a art of this specification.

' his invention relates to circuit controllers.

In'the control of electric motorsit is common to provide overload protective means to, be included in circuit for running and to be temporarily excluded from circuit in starting and this invention has among its objects to provide improved means for controlling the connections of such protective means.

A further object is to provide means for the aforesaid purpose which will be simple and durable in construction, capable of convenient operation, and of a character to insure circuit variations in a definite sequence.

Other objects andadvantages will hereinafter appear in connection with the description of the embodiment 'of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the controller;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the controller with the casing therefor in section;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3, Fig. 1; and,

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are diagrams of different circuit arrangements to which the controller illustrated is adapted.

Referring firstv to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the controller shown therein is particularly adapted to control a polyphase alternating current circuit and includes a plurality of switches 1 and 2 operable in groups and in a definite sequence. Theswitches are mounted upon a suitable insulating panel 3 and serve to complete the controlled circuit through suitable fuses 1, also mounted upon said panel, or exclusive of said fuses.

The switches 1 are mounted upon and operable by a-shaft 5 revolubly supported in end brackets (3. The switches 2, on the other hand, are mounted upon and operable by an independent shaft 7, also revolubly supported by said end brackets 6. All of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

Serial No. 869,453.

switches areof like construction and of a conventional form. Each includes a rigid contact arm 9 and a cooperating stationary contact 10 and each of said arms is provided with a supporting bracket 11 upon which it is resiliently mounted for pivotal movement under tension. The brackets 11 are suitably fixed to the shafts 5 and 7. The arrangement is such that all of the switches 1 close simultaneously to complete circuit exclusive of the fuses & while all of the switches 2 close simultaneously to establish circuit through the fuses after which the switches 1 are opened.

The two groups of switches are operable by a single lever 15 keyed or otherwise fixed to the shaft 5 and having a lost motion connection with the shaft 7. This lost motion connection includes a bifurcated pawl 16 fixed to the operating lever 15 and straddling a pin 17 carried by a lever 18 fixed to the shaft 7. The arrangement is such that with all of the switches open inward'movement of thelever 15 "first closes the switches 1 and then the switches 2. The switches 2 are held in closed position by a latching device 19 whereupon the operating lever 15 is releasable torelease the switches 1. The latch 19 is pivotally supported to engage a pin 20 on the lever 18 of shaft 7 and is provided-with a magnet 21 to hold the same in latching position, said magnet preferably being of the lowvoltage type. Thus the retcntion of the switches 1." in closed position is dependent upon the retention of the lever 15 while the retention of the switches 2 is independent of the lever 15. However, the lever 15 provides means for releasingthe switches 2. More specifically, when the operating lever 15 is released the switches 1 spring open. thereby shifting the bifurcated pawl 16 into engagement with the opposite side of pin 17 on the lever'lS whereby fur ther forcible operation of the lever 15 trips the latch 19.

As illustrated, the switches of the two groups are paired with each pair connected to one of the fuses. More specifically considering the right hand pair, the lower terminals of the two switches are connected by a suitable conductor 22 while the stationary contact of the switch 1 is connected by a conductor 23 to the upper terminal of the fuse and the stationary contact of switch 2 is connected by a conducting strip 24: with the lower terminal of the fuse. Also, insulating barriers 25 are interposed between adj acent pairs of switches and all of the switches and fuses are inclosed in a suitable casing 26 secured to the base 3.

Referring now-to Fig. 4 the same diagrammatically illustrates the controller of Fig. 1 employed to control the circuit of an alternating current motor M, current being supplied from lines a'-b0. The fuses are directly connected to the lines and the low voltage winding 21 is connected across line ab. The several pairs of switches, on the other hand, are directly connected to the terminals of the motor M. Thus when the operating lever of the controller is moved inwardly to first close the switches 1 and then close the switches 2 the fuses will at the time of completion of the circuit be entirely disconnected and then connected but short-circuited. When, however, the

switches 2 are locked in and the switches 1 permitted to open the short-circuits around the fuses will be interrupted thereby necessitating passage of the motor current through said fuses. When running connections are thus established they will be maintained until there is a failure of voltage facross the lines abor until the switches 2 are forcibly disengaged from the latch 19.-

The circuit arrangement shown in Fig. 5 is the same as that shown in Fig. 4, with the addition of means for effecting release ofthe switches 2 upon failure of voltage across either pair of lines. The magnet 21, as in Fig. 4, is connected across two lines a-c but through a normally open relay switch '27. The relay switch 27 in turn has an operating winding 28 connected across lines bc, this constituting a second low voltage coil. Hence, as will be apparent, with normal voltage the winding 28 will close-the switch 27, thereby completing the circuit and effecting energization of the coil 21 to lock the switches 2 subject to release ,upon deenergization of either the coil 21 The circuit arrangement shown in Fig. 6 is also similar to that shown in Fig. 4 but with a circuit-breaker 29, of any preferred type, substituted for the fuses. More specifically, this circuit-breaker has a contact arm for each line and tripping coil 30 in each of two lines in the same relative location as the fuses 4, Fig. 4.

Also in this diagram, fuses 31 are permanently included in circuit, it being understood that these fuses may be of any desired capacity to protect the motor during exclusion of the tripping coils of the circuitbreakers but yet allowing the desired inrush of current for starting.

The circuit arrangement, Fig. 7 is very similar to that of Fig. 6 with the addition of a double-pole magnetic switch 32 for controlling the continuity of the The winding of the contacto r'32 is connected across lines ab through a setting switch 33 and two overload relays 34 and 35, said pended claims and may be used in various relations other than those her in specified. What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a motor controller, in combination,

establish starting and running connections and tending to assume a neutral relation .to interrupt both connections, operating means for certain of said contacts including a memher having an eXtr'eme'position corresponding to neutral relation'of said contacts and another extreme position and an intermediate position corresponding to said circuit establishing relations of said. contacts, said means insuring cooperation of said contacts in starting relation prior to their cooperation in running relation and their return to neutral relation directly from running relation and electromagnetic means .to retain said contacts in running relation subject to automatic release under predetermined conditions.

2. In a motor controller, in combination, contacts cooperablein different relationsto establish starting and running connections and tending to assume a neutral relation to interrupt both connections, operating 'means' for certain of said contacts including a member having extreme positions corresponding to neutral and starting relations 'of. said con"- tacts and an intermediate position corresponding .to running relationof saidcontacts, said means insuringagai'nst cooperation of. said contacts in runningflrelation until after their cooperation in starting relation and electromagnetic means to retain said contacts in running relation subject to automatic release under predetermined conditions. 1

8. In amotor controller, inicombination, contacts cooperable to'establish independent starting and running connections and tending to assume a neutral relation to interrupt both, operating means therefor including a control member having an extreme position corresponding-to said neutral relation of said contacts and being movable to first es tablish said starting connections exclusive of said running connections, and then establish the latter connections exclusive of the .8 contacts cooperable in different relations to former, said operating means also insuring 7 in running relation subject to automatic release under predetermined conditions.

-l. In a circuit controller, in combination, two independently movable switches biased to open position, an operating mechanism therefor including a member movable in a single direction to close both of said switches and in progression, the first closed switch being dependent for retention in closed po sition upon retention of said member and magnetic means for retaining the other of said switches in closed position.

5. In a circuit controller, in combination, two independently movable switches biased to open position, an operating mechanism therefor including a member movable in a single direction to close both of said switches and in progression, the first closed switch being dependent for retention in closed position upon retention of said member and magnetic means for retaining the other of said switches in closed position but subject to release by forcible reverse movement of said member.

6. In a circuit controller, in combination, two parallel shafts, a plurality of switch members operable by each, an operative connection between said shafts whereby one is rotatable to move its respective switch members to circuit-closing position upon rotation of the other for a like purpose, said connection permitting reverse rotation of the operating shaft independently of the other and means to hold the operated shaft in the position to which it is moved by said operating shaft.

7. In a circuit controller, in combination, two parallel shafts, a plurality of switches operable by rotation of each, means for retaining one of said shafts in an angular position to effect completion of circuit by its respective switch members, and an operative connection between said shafts whereby the aforesaid shaft is rotated for circuit closure by rotation of the other and whereby the operating shaft is rotatable in a reverse direction independently of said operated shaft to a degree sufficient to effect circuitinterruption by its respective switch members and operable to a further degree in said reverse direction to rotate said operated shaft in a reverse direction.

8. In a motor controller, in combination, means for establishing starting connections, means for establishing running connections, both of said means tending to stand in circuit opening position, a common operating mechanism therefor including a member movable in a single direction to effect circuit closure by both of said means and thereupon releasable to effect interruption of the starting connections by said first mentioned means, and retaining means for said second mentioned means independent of said member, said member also being movable in a reverse direction to effect interruption of said running connections by said second mentioned means.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR SIMON.

\Vitnesses TEKLA BAs'r, L. A. WATSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

